Monday, January 4, 2010

For many, not such a happy year

The year and decade both ended with a bang last week in more ways than one: Foreclosure filings in El Paso County, already in record territory for 2009, jumped to their highest total ever in December, with 560 filings.

That puts the year boosts the year's total to 5,470 foreclosure filings, beating the previous record of 4,602, set in 2008.

El Paso County Public Trustee Tom Mowle, reporting the totals, notes that foreclosures in 2009 also hit more high-end property owners, with one $25.2 million parcel going into foreclosure, and eight others beating the previous year's record of $8.1 million.

Though Mowle shies away from making a prediction about the upcoming year, he notes the county has been about two years behind the rest of the state when it comes to foreclosures. If that holds true this year, there's some hope we won't be back in record territory at this time next year.